Combination trimming and cutting tool

ABSTRACT

A convertible edge trimming and cutting tool with a body portion including a base plate having surface bearing means and edge guide means to guide the edge trimming operation of the tool, and a blade holding plate movable with relation to the base plate, so that a cutting blade attached to the blade holding plate may be extended beyond the guiding edge of the base plate to perform a cutting operation without the aid of the base plate guide.

United States Patent Fischer 5] Nov. 20, 1973 COMBINATION TRIMMING ANDCUTTING 2,068,020 1/1937 Grounds 30/2 TOOL 1,211,777 1/1917 Stanfield...30/287 x Inventor: William Arthur Fischer, Greenville,

Assignec: Commercial Affiliates 1nc., New

York, NY.

Filed: July 1, 1971 Appl. No.: 158,679

References Cited UNITED STATES PATENTS 12/1936 Smith 30/293 6/1971Kochanowski.. 30/293 1/1937 Schmidt 30/2 3,482,310 12/1969Paterson...... 30/293 Primary Examiner0thell M. Simpson Att0rneyEdwardl-lalle [5 7 ABSTRACT A convertible edge trimming and cutting tool witha body portion including a base plate having surface bearing means andedge guide means to guide the edge trimming operation of the tool, and ablade holding plate movable with relation to the base plate, so that acutting blade attached to the blade holding plate may be extended beyondthe guiding edge of the base plate to perform a cutting operationwithout the aid of the base plate guide.

11 Claims, 6 Drawing Figures PATENTEUnnvzo 497s 3,772,785

INVENTOR. WILLIAM ARTHUR FISCHER dwwg ATTORNEY;

1 COMBINATION TRIMMING AND CUTTING TOOL This invention relates tocutting tools, and in particular, to an edge trimming and cutting tool,and more particularly to an improved trimming and cutting tool whichfeatures a body portion having guide means and a cutter blade assemblywhich may be positioned selectively to operate in cooperation with theguide means of the body portion or independently thereof.

Although the tool of the invention can be adapted for many uses, it isparticularly useful with carpeting adapted to be bonded to the floorafter which excess material at the edge of the floor lying against abaseboard or lower p'artof the wall is trimmed, so that the carpetingmay fit properly along the line of construction between the floor andthe wall.

Thus, one of the principal objects is to provide a tool having guidemeans with which an operator may guide the blade of the tool to trim theedge of the carpet at the proper line. The tool must also be availablefor use as a regular cutting kinfe to cut pieces of carpet without theedge trimming feature so that a proper vertical cut, usually between tworows of tufts, can be made in the carpeting so that it can be properlysized for laying. Various tools of this type are known in the prior artsuch as the tool disclosed in United States Letters Pa tent No.3,482,310 issued on application of William K. Paterson on Dec. 9, I969.

It is another object of this invention to provide such a tool with aminimum of parts, with positive guide action for edge trimming andpositive cutting action free from the trimming guide.

The objects of the invention are achieved with the device illustrated inthe accompanying drawings in which: I

FIG. 1 is a perspective view with parts in exploded position;

FIG. 2 is a top plan view with the cutter blade assembly in retractedposition, with dotted lines indicating alternate positioning of theparts;

FIG. 3 is a top plan view similar to FIG. 2 with the cutter bladeassembly in extended position;

FIG. 4 is an end elevation of the invention with the cutter bladeassembly in retracted position similar to that shown in FIG. 2;

FIG. 5 is an end elevation showing the tool in use as a cutting toolwith the cutter blade assembly in extended position similar to thatshown in FIG. 3; and

FIG. 6 is a plan view of a blade of the invention.

Similar numerals refer to similar parts throughout the several views.

The combination tool 10 of the invention comprises a main body portion12 which has a bottom 14 adapted to be used as bearing means to guidethe tool over the surface of a material to be trimmed such as a carpet16 as shown in FIG. 4. It is, therefore, preferable to have the bearingmeans 14 of the body portion 12 in a unitary flat plane. The main bodyportion 12 should also have hand grip means such as means 18 for ease inhandling the tool. The hand grip means 18 should have a grip portion sothat thetool can be grasped in either the right or left hand of theoperator.

It has been determined that a simple base plate 20 having a curved edge22 can be formed into an integral body portion comprising. the bearingmeans 14 and the hand grip means 18'. The tool also has a cutter bladeassembly 24 comprising a cutter plate 26 and blade holding means 28comprising means to selectively hold the cutter blade in fixed positionscomprising pivot means such as a stud 30 integral with or connected tothe plate 26 having a threaded portion 32 to which a wing nut fasteningmeans 34 is threaded. The blade 36 is provided with a slot 38 and sharpedges 40. Blade retaining and shielding means such as a plate 42 havinga slot 44 and an end taper 46 complete the blade holder. Bladepositioning means such as stop means 48 and 50 are provided so that theblade holding means 28 can be positioned both for left and right handcuts. Blade 36 can be extended to and fixed at selected positions bytightening and loosening wing nut 34.

The body portion 12 also has an edge trimming guide means 52 in the formof a straight edge as illustrated. While a straight edge is preferred inthe tool of the invention, the guide means 52 may take any convenientform so long as there are at least two points along its length whichwill serve to position the guide means as well as the entire tool withrelation to the edge of a piece of material to be trimmed in accordancewith the teachings of the invention.

The cutter blade assembly plate 26 also has a guide edge 54 to which theblade holding assembly 28 is related. The cutter blade assembly plate 26is adjustably secured to the body portion 12 by means of bracketingextension means 56 and 58 having edges 60 and 62 which are bevelled tohold the plate 26 firmly in various positions with edge 54 positionedrelatively with relation to edge 52. There are two main positions whichshall be called the retracted position as shown in FIG. 2 and theextended position as shown in FIG. 3. This positioning is accomplishedby means of a pair of slots 64 and 66 which are placed in plate 26 tocooperate with threaded wing bolts 68 and 70 having studs 72 and 72awhich are threaded into openings 74 and 76 respectively in bracket meansportion 56. When wing bolts 68 and 70 are tightened with slots 64 and 66in retracted position as shown in FIG. 2, the edge 54 of plate 26 willbe retracted to a relative position slightly within the guide means ofedge 52. Thus, when knife blade 36 is in extended position as shown inFIGS. 2 and 4, it will out along a line determined by the angle of plate26 relative to bearing means 14 and the guide means 52 of body portion12.

It is to be noted in FIG. 4 that when the tool is placed against a pieceof carpeting 16 having an edge 80 ovcrlapping against a vertical wallbase 82, the guide means 52 will position the tool along the juncture ofwall base 82 and floor 84 and the angle formed by the plate 26 and thefloor 84 will present the blade at a proper angle to make a trim cut sothat a resulting cut edge of the carpet indicated at reference numeral86 will fall into place in the comer of angle 88 formed between thefloor 84 and the wall base 82.

Referring now to FIGS. 3 and 5 of the drawings, it can be seen thatplate 26 has been placed in extended position by loosening bolts 68 and70, pulling the plate along slots 64 and 66 to extended position, andthen retightening the bolts 68 and 70. This places edge 54 in a relativeposition outside of and beyond edge 52 effectively placing the blade 36in a position free from the guide means of bearing surface 14 and edge52. Thus, when the tool is grasped by the hand grip 18 as shown in FIG.5, the blade extends independently of any guide means other than edge 54of the plate 26. In this sense, the combination tool 10 is used as acutting tool rather than a trimming tool, and a straight out can be madeon a piece of material such as a carpet to cut it to any desired size.The blade 36 and its edges 40 are held in proper position by the bladeholding means 28 and the blade positioning means 48 and 50 asillustrated in the drawings as follows:

Blade 36 is placed on stud 30 by the slot positioning means 38. Then thewing nut 34 is threaded around stud 30. If it is desired to use theblade in the position shown in FIG. 2 of the drawings, the blade isplaced with an edge 40 protruding over the edge 54 of plate 26 and theother edge 40 against blade positioning means 50. Then the blade holderand shield means 42 is positioned with its slot 44 facing toward handgrip l8 and its taper 46 facing edge 54. Slot 44 is then slid into thetool around stud 30 and underneath wing nut 34 and the wing nut istightened. The blade 36 is then firmly held in position as shown in FIG.2 with edge 40 extending downwardly along the right hand portion of edge54.

The blade is reversed to a relatively left handed position asrepresented by the dotted lines, reference numeral 90 in FIG. 2, byloosening the wing nut 34, removing blade retaining and shielding means42, moving blade 36 so that it is in position as shown in dotted lines90, and then reversing and replacing blade retaining and shielding means42 and tightening wing nut 34. The tool will then have the appearance asshown in FIG. 1 except that the blade 36 will be in extended positionrather than in retracted position as depicted in FlG. l. The blade, ofcourse, may be extended or retracted merely by loosening the wing nut 34and positioning the blade along its slot 38 relative to stud 30 and thentightening the nut at the desired position, either fully extended asshown in FIG. 3 or fully retracted as shown in FIG. 1.

Ridges or protuberances 92 may be provided on hand grip 18 for a surergrip. The tool may be made out of any suitable material such as a highimpact plactic or a metal or any combination of materials. In thepreferred form of the invention as illustrated, the tool is comprisedessentially of four parts, the main body portion 12, the cutter bladeassembly plate 26, the blade shield 42 and the blade 26. These parts areheld to gether by simple fastening elements, and the parts may bearranged so that the tool may be used as a combination tool for eithertrimming purposes or cutting purposes in any number of positions.

While the tool has been described in its preferred form, there are manyforms which it may take without departing from the spirit and scope ofthe invention, and it is, therefore, desired to be protected for allforms coming within the claims hereinbelow.

Wherefore I claim:

1. A combination trimming and cutting tool comprising a main bodyportion, comprising: bearing surface means including first edge guidemeans, and cutter blade assembly means including second mentioned edgeguide means, said cutter blade assembly means being movably mounted innon-parallel relationship to the bearing surface means, together withadjustment means to position the second edge guide means between aretracted position and an extended position with relation to said firstedge guide means.

2. The combination trimming and cutting tool as claimed in claim 1, inwhich the cutter blade assembly means is provided with a cutter bladeand means to selectively hold the cutter blade in selected fixedpositions with relation to said second edge guide means.

3. The combination trimming and cutting tool as claimed in claim 1, inwhich the bearing surface means comprises a substantially plane outersurface of the main body portion.

4. The combination trimming and cutting rool as claimed in claim 3, inwhich the main body portion further comprises mounting means positionedon a body portion opposite to said bearing surface means to posi tionthe cutter blade assembly at an angle to the bearing surface means.

5. The combination trimming and cutting tool as claimed in claim 4 whichincludes hand grip means having a grip surface with at least a portionpositioned be tween the extended planes of the bearing surface means andthe cutter blade assembly.

6. The combination trimming and cutting tool as claimed in claim 5, inwhich the mounting means for the cutter blade assembly comprisesadjustable fastening means.

7. The combination trimming and cutting tool as claimed in claim 6, inwhich the cutter blade assembly is provided with a cutter blade andmeans to selectively hold the cutter blade in selected fixed positionswith re lation to said edge guide means.

8. The combination trimming and cutting tool as claimed in claim 2, inwhich the cutter blade assembly means comprises a movable plate and inwhich the second mentioned edge guide means are positioned in paralleledge offset relationship to the first mentioned edge guide means when insaid retracted and extended positions.

9. The combination trimming and cutting tool as claimed in claim 8, inwhich the hand grip means comprises a grip portion with a partiallycylindrical grip surface in which one portion of the grip surface is acontinuation of the bearing surface means and another por tion of thegrip surface is intersected by the extended plane of at least one cutterblade.

10. The combination trimming and cutting tool as claimed in Claim 9, inwhich the means to selectively hold the cutter blade in selected fixedpositions comprises pivot means, stop means and blade retaining platemeans positioned to cooperate with a slotted blade together withreleasable fastening means, in which the pivot means and a first stopmeans positions the blade at a first angle relative to the hand gripmeans, and the pivot means and a second stop means positions the bladeat a second angle relative to the hand grip means.

11. The combination trimming and cutting tool as claimed in claim 10, inwhich the bearing surface means, the hand grip means, the firstmentioned edge guide means, and at least one angled bracket forming atleast a portion of the cutter blade assembly mounting means are formedintegrally.

* a k a: k

1. A combination trimming and cutting tool comprising a main bodyportion, comprising: bearing surface means including first edge guidemeans, and cutter blade assembly means including second mentioned edgeguide means, said cutter blade assembly means being movably mounted innon-parallel relationship to the bearing surface means, together withadjustment means to position the second edge guide means between aretracted position and an extended position with relation to said firstedge guide means.
 2. The combination trimming and cutting tool asclaimed in claim 1, in which the cutter blade assembly means is providedwith a cutter blade and means to selectively hold the cutter blade inselected fixed positions with relation to said second edge guide means.3. The combination trimming and cutting tool as claimed in claim 1, inwhich the bearing surface means comprises a substantially plane outersurface of the main body portion.
 4. The combination trimming andcutting rool as claimed in claim 3, in which the main body portionfurther comprises mounting means positioned on a body portion oppositeto said bearing surface means to position the cutter blade assembly atan angle to the bearing surface means.
 5. The combination trimming andcutting tool as claimed in claim 4 which includes hand grip means havinga grip Surface with at least a portion positioned between the extendedplanes of the bearing surface means and the cutter blade assembly. 6.The combination trimming and cutting tool as claimed in claim 5, inwhich the mounting means for the cutter blade assembly comprisesadjustable fastening means.
 7. The combination trimming and cutting toolas claimed in claim 6, in which the cutter blade assembly is providedwith a cutter blade and means to selectively hold the cutter blade inselected fixed positions with relation to said edge guide means.
 8. Thecombination trimming and cutting tool as claimed in claim 2, in whichthe cutter blade assembly means comprises a movable plate and in whichthe second mentioned edge guide means are positioned in parallel edgeoffset relationship to the first mentioned edge guide means when in saidretracted and extended positions.
 9. The combination trimming andcutting tool as claimed in claim 8, in which the hand grip meanscomprises a grip portion with a partially cylindrical grip surface inwhich one portion of the grip surface is a continuation of the bearingsurface means and another portion of the grip surface is intersected bythe extended plane of at least one cutter blade.
 10. The combinationtrimming and cutting tool as claimed in Claim 9, in which the means toselectively hold the cutter blade in selected fixed positions comprisespivot means, stop means and blade retaining plate means positioned tocooperate with a slotted blade together with releasable fastening means,in which the pivot means and a first stop means positions the blade at afirst angle relative to the hand grip means, and the pivot means and asecond stop means positions the blade at a second angle relative to thehand grip means.
 11. The combination trimming and cutting tool asclaimed in claim 10, in which the bearing surface means, the hand gripmeans, the first mentioned edge guide means, and at least one angledbracket forming at least a portion of the cutter blade assembly mountingmeans are formed integrally.